Divine Tutelage Under Sri Sathya Sai

Our Loving God says that in the present, the past lives and the future gets shaped. I feel quite nostalgic while I go down memory lane. When I was eight years old, my parents showed me this wonderful Lord as my ‘Savior’.

When I was eleven, my parents brought me to Parthi for His Divine darshan, sparshan, and sambhashan [sight, touch, and conversation], and for His Divine benediction in the course of the interview that He graciously granted the entire family. From then onward, all the members of our family have been drawn to His fold one after another, guarded, guided, and groomed to be instruments in His Divine mission.

Way back in 1976, I was in my second year MA (Economics) class, preparing for my university examinations under the ‘watchful eye’ of my revered teacher, Prof. A N Rajamani. We had seven papers. The sixth one, Regional Economics, was the first optional paper, on a Saturday afternoon. The examination started at 2 p.m. and nowhere could I see any economics in that question paper. I was in the predicament of the legendary elephant-king, Gajendra! I was completely lost! Then I closed my question paper, surrendered to my Lord faithfully in my heart without a trace of ego and invited Him to write the examination through me. When I opened my question paper, lo and behold! The five questions out of ten that I had to answer were there, so simple and straight forward. The members of my family and I could realize the Divine play in it only when I was awarded the Justice P. Chandra Reddy Gold Medal by the University of Madras for having stood first in MA (Economics). This honor later fetched me, by choice, an Assistant Professorship in Economics at CBM College, Coimbatore, in the very same year.

As a Seva Dal volunteer, I actively participated in the service activities of the Coimbatore Samiti (an organization), and in November 1978 I was one among the several groups posted on duty at a site where (the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus of SSSIHL is housed now) our beloved Swami laid the foundation stone for Sri Sathya Sai Arts, Science, and Commerce College (SSSASCC).

I had an intuitive feeling that I would be drawn soon to serve in His glorious educational institution. Since I was in a permanent job then, there was no reason for me to think of any other alternatives very seriously. Then I stumbled upon the advertisement in a newspaper inviting applications for the post of a Lecturer in Economics at SSSASCC, Prasanthi Nilayam. I got a phone call informing me that our beloved Lord would visit Ooty the following day. Immediately, the devotees from Coimbatore made arrangements for a bus to go to Ooty for the Lord’s darshan and took me also along with them. When Swami approached the Coimbatore group, I gathered courage and prayed to Him to permit me to serve in Puttaparthi College. Swami replied in the affirmative: “Yes, yes, yes.” I consulted my parents and applied for the post. A formal interview was conducted at Brindavan and I was selected.

The management of the CBM College, Coimbatore, was considerate enough to relieve me from my duties immediately. But the Principal of the CBM College, who had joined just then, directed me to get an extension of time from the authorities of SSSASCC. I rushed to Parthi and Swami lovingly conceded my prayer and graciously permitted me to join after I5 days. Fifteen days passed. The Principal of the CBM College did not keep his promise and directed me to approach the authorities of SSSASCC for yet another extension of 15 days. Now I was in a fix. A senior colleague of mine there challenged me by remarking, “Your Baba is known for miracles! Why couldn’t He do something in your case?” A voice from within came and I replied, “He does, and you will be the first to witness that!”

The next day, I happened to go to the house of the former Principal of the CBM College, Prof. Narayanan, who got very annoyed on hearing about the way in which the issue had been handled. He took me straight to the Chairman of the CBM College, pleaded with him on my behalf and persuaded him to take the initiative in getting my relief. The following day, the Chairman came to the college and ordered the Principal to issue my ‘relieving order’ immediately. After obtaining my ‘relieving order’ from the Principal in just 15 minutes, the first person I met was the same colleague who had doubted the ever-encompassing love of Swami!

The very next day, I joined my duty at SSSASCC and met Prof. N Kasturi with whom I maintained a close relationship for decades. Just a few days later during darshan, Swami inquired about me and christened me ‘Coimbatore’. Whenever occasion demanded, He called me ‘Coimbatore’ and I had a doubt for a long time whether Swami knew my name at all. The staff meeting of the college used to be in the Divine presence in the Divine interview room in the Mandir. Swami used to touch upon several issues in the course of His conversation and fill the hearts of everyone with confidence, missionary zeal, and love. On one such occasion, I was far away from Him. He spoke in mellifluous Telugu for over an hour and a half without any translation. After He concluded, without looking at my side, He lovingly enquired in Telugu, “Bhalachandran, did you understand what I spoke?” Though Telugu was not my mother-tongue, I followed His message. I replied quickly, “Yes, Swami.” He turned back and gave me a broad smile. On yet another occasion of this kind, Swami instilled in me the sense of belonging to the institution to which I was wedded now, by declaring, “You take care of My children; I will bear the entire burden of your family.” Swami stands by His promise completely.

In the formative years of the Institute, during darshan Swami would certainly come to every teacher, pass a remark about something, correct or reprimand, comment or appreciate, and sensitize him. On a Sunday morning, as He was passing me, He lovingly gave a pat on my head and moved ahead. Suddenly, He turned and rushed back and asked me with concern whether His pat pained me. ‘No, Amma!’ I said. The moment He heard me address Him as ‘Mother’, He looked at me with His piercing eyes and flooded my entire being with His infinite grace and love. I was lost in ecstasy for about an hour and a half. He was watching me from a distance. “He is infinite, yet tangible; though He is impersonal, He is personal and intimate; rather the impersonal is personified for our benefit.” (Yogasutra Upanishad).

After the Institute came into being, its authorities nominated me to organize the Institute’s first final examination for the Prasanthi Nilayam and the Anantapur Campuses. As we were yet to equip ourselves to meet the requirements of a full-fledged university examination, I was directed to contact the Mandir authorities to lend their support to conduct the same.

I was on my way to discharging my duty when Swami’s car came in the opposite direction on the road. The moment He saw me, He stopped the car and gave me a bit of His mind. I could not understand the reason. Prof. N. Kasturi, who was by His side, later told me that Swami had been upset since He had seen me on the road during the working hours of the Institute. However, when He came to know that I had been on my examination duty, He came to me during the evening darshan and blessed me profusely to accomplish my task. Swami is so particular even now that His children should never err at any point of time.

He visited my class sessions thrice and was delighted to observe the teaching plus interactive sessions I had with my students. He expressed His appreciation then and there. He complimented me on my handwriting and the lesson plan that I had written on the blackboard. He perused the notes jotted down by the students and made His suggestions for their improvement. He directed me more than once to give additional time and coaching for the ‘slow-learners’ so that they never lagged behind.

The Institute auditorium was getting remodeled under Swami’s direction in 1984. Shilpi Subramanian was designing and drawing two huge pictures on either side of the stage of the auditorium. One evening, Swami came to the auditorium without prior notice. None was there on the Campus except me. I rushed to Him, welcomed Him, and led Him to the auditorium. He headed for the side-entrance of the auditorium, walking barefoot, unmindful of bushes and thorns. I collected Swami’s sandals from His car, praying to Him to put on the sandals. He not only granted my prayer, but also directed me to slip them onto His lotus feet. While I was engaged in this Divine service, He held my head tightly and did not allow me to get up. After playing thus for a while, He blessed and directed me to get the auditorium opened. He surveyed the work that was in progress and left for the Mandir. During His visits to the Institute, He graciously permitted me several times to open His car and carry His ‘pan-box’. He took a special interest in my registration for the Ph.D. degree at Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur, approved my topic and Research Supervisor, and encouraged me in producing my dissertation.

During March 1980, we, the staff of the college, were informed that our appointments were not made in conformity with the norms of the S. V. University and the Directorate of Collegiate Education, A.P., and our services would be terminated with due notice. We were told to apply for our respective posts afresh and appear for the interview once again. This worried us a lot. On a Sunday morning, just before the bhajans at 11 a.m., Swami was talking to the students in the middle verandah when my esteemed colleague, Dr. Gangadhar Sastry and I stood with folded hands far away, listening to the following pearls of His Divine guidance:

– Contrary values are complementary to each other.
– The present moment is more valuable than the past or the future.
– We must celebrate our existence.
– Owning full responsibility makes me free and elated.
– I have to broaden my vision and deepen my roots.
– Sadhana, satsang [spiritual effort and good company], and service are our vital forces.

As the Tamil bard, Thiruvalluvar says: “Vellathaniadhu Malar Neettam, Mandhardam Ullathanaiadhu uyarvu.” (The limit of a man’s achievement in the present moment is more valuable than the strength of his will. The Lotus plant grows up to the height of the water in the pond, so does a man rise to the free height of his will.)

This ‘will power’ is the Divine Grace that our beloved Lord has given to each one of us as a ‘blank cheque’. It is up to us fill in the cheque and draw Divine Grace from His Infinite Source.

~Prof G. Bhalachandran, Former Head of Department of Economics,
Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Prasanthi Nilayam
Source: Sai Vandana 2005 (80th Birthday Offering)